Is your dog showing symptoms of diabetes? Or has your vet confirmed your suspicions that your dog does indeed have this chronic disease? As a dog owner it’s tough knowing your animal companion is struggling with something neither of you can control. However you need to be encouraged because this disease is manageable.
In various ways you can raise your pet’s quality of life. Of course, this means exercise and even medicines, but a huge role player—which you can immediately act on—is your dog’s diet. Let’s start off with some vital information.
If your dog has been diagnosed it means there are issues with the hormone called insulin. One of two things is happening:
- Not enough insulin is being produced
- Your dog’s body isn’t responding to insulin as it should
The result of this is high blood sugar levels because insulin is the hormone regulating these levels. These high levels can lead to many health problems.
What are symptoms you need to look out for?
Are you wondering whether your dog has diabetes? This is becoming a prevailing disease in many dogs and you need to keep an eye out so you can start managing it as soon as possible. The sooner it’s treated, the better your dog’s level of health will be in the long run. You should ask the following questions:
- Is my dog’s appetite changing?
- Is my dog losing weight?
- Is my dog drinking a lot of water or too little?
- Is my dog vomiting or urinating more than usual?
- Is my dog’s breath sweet smelling?
- Does my dog suffer from skin infections or cataracts all of a sudden?
- Is my dog becoming lazy for no apparent reason?
Though obesity can be a cause of diabetes it’s not the only reason the disease presents itself. Therefore, even if your dog is in great shape, you should still keep an eye out. If too many symptoms appear you should ask your vet’s opinion.
Buying guide
From the facts mentioned above, we can see the focus of any diabetes treatment is to manage blood sugar levels. Treatment involves exercise, medicine, as well as food. When you’re in search of dog food to help your sick pet you should therefore be on the lookout for items that don’t contain too much sugar.
Luckily for dog owners, many brands offer food items specific to breeds, sizes, as well as problems. Manufacturers try their best to provide great products that have been designed in accordance with vets’ advice. This means that by visiting your local supermarket or your pet store you should find something that can make a difference in your dog’s level of health within 21 days. So what are some of the best diabetic dog food brands?
A dog food’s value isn’t only about the highlights shown on the packaging but also about everything mentioned in the list of ingredients. Royal Canin knows this and its products are focused on giving high-quality food to all their buyers. With 40 years worth of experience they know what pet owners need. With this item they use their usual foundation of quality ingredients and manage it so your diabetic dog can benefit from the outcome.
Pros
- Royal Canin has controlled amounts of fat in this product. Therefore, if your dog does have diabetes due to being overweight, this product can help with both aspects
- Royal Canin adds fiber so your dog’s digestive system benefits and health issues connected with fiber-responsiveness are treated better
- Your dog’s blood sugar levels are managed through complex carbohydrates
- Compared to other dog food of the same weight, it may be more expensive than some, but cheaper than many options on the market. This means your dog’s adjusted diet doesn’t cause you to spend excessively more than usual
- Royal Canin thinks of everything and offers this product in a resealable bag so you know your pet’s food stays fresh
- This won’t be the tastiest food you find on the market. If your dog is a picky eater you may have to mix this with an additional food it prefers to improve the taste.
This product addresses all the necessary aspects of a diabetic dog’s system so you’re sure to see great results. Many pet owners have prolonged their dogs’ lives using this. You may find some challenges if it does increase your dog food expenses, but it will be worth if for your dog’s long term benefit.
Hill’s Prescription Diet w/d Canine Low Fat – Glucose Management – Gastrointestinal Canned Food
This product is filled with many nutritious ingredients and it’s refreshing to see very few items that are considered controversial or dangerous. The use of natural products also means your dog will most likely love the food, so its enjoyment of mealtimes isn’t influenced because of the disease it has.
This is a wet canned-type food, and these textures are always palatable to dogs who are made to consume meat. It might be wise to make this an addition to a kibble diet if your dog doesn’t like eating kibbles.
Pros
- Hills is known for putting many nutritional items into its food products and even more so with this item. This includes:
- Real meat such as pork liver which culminates in great taste, texture and flavor
- Chicken is another meat used and this is great source of protein which assists your dog’s overall health
- The food was designed to help you assist your dog in maintaining an ideal weight. The nutrients are balanced and there’s a low fat presence
- Carnitine is added to this food. This increases your dog’s metabolism which helps keep weight issues under control
- The food takes over the role of insulin by helping to stabilize glucose levels
- If diabetes presents itself in older dogs who may not have all their teeth anymore, this wet food is a great option
- Unfortunately, Hill’s can be quite expensive and that’s true for this item on their product list. You may opt to use it as a supplement rather than your dog’s main meal source.
This food does wonders in stabilizing sugar levels and helping your dog lose weight. This is all you want from a diabetic food. However the price needs to be taken into consideration so you can decide whether to make your dog used to eating this all the time or only as a supplement.
Old Dog Cookie Company – All Natural Diabetic Dog Treats
This item is manufactured by people focused on giving answers to pet owners whose dogs have challenging dietary requirements. The goal of the Old Dog Cookie Company is to offer healthy treat options. This focused approach means they succeed in producing a great product.
This is not something you can use on its own as a meal because it’s only to be used as a treat. But you’ll be thankful to the people who help you treat your dog for good behavior without negatively influencing its health. Why is this such a great product?
Pros
- Your dog’s sugar levels are tended to through a combination of herbs and natural ingredients
- The fact that only natural ingredients are used prevents allergies acting up or digestive problems surfacing
- This company doesn’t use ingredients known to cause allergies or diseases in dogs such as:
- Additives
- By-products
- Coloring
- Chemicals
- The product is made in the USA so you can be sure it’s made according to specifications which keep your dog safe
- This is not an item to be used for meals as your dog needs other nutrients apart from what is found in this product
- Take note of some of the wheat ingredients such as brewer’s yeast and whole wheat flour. Make sure these don’t trigger any side effects in your dog’s system such as an allergy
There aren’t many diabetic treats available and luckily this one is really safe to use. It won’t affect your dog’s sugar levels; it will actually help manage it. The price attached to these treats is a bit higher than most normal treats, but hopefully it’s still affordable in light of the fact that it doesn’t have to be used daily.
Conclusion
Here we have a few items each perfect for a specific scenario. The idea of diabetes may have you picturing very dull dinners for your pet. Luckily the options available may surprise you and mixing them up could be the ideal way of creating your pet’s new diet.
The Hill’s dry dog food is the best diabetic dog food on this list. It is an ideal foundation to help manage your dog’s sugar levels and weight. Your dog has a great sense of smell so you need to keep his diet appetizing by spicing it up with some wet food as well as treats.
